Rewards and Fairies - Penn State University

Rudyard Kipling
‘I reckon every man born of woman has his log to shift in He turned his soft eyes so helplessly on Una that she cried,
the world—if so be you’re hintin’ at any o’ Frankie’s doings. ‘Stop ragging him, Puck! You know he didn’t really.’
He never hit beyond reason or without reason,’ said Simon. ‘I do. But why are you so sure, little maid?’ ‘Because—
‘I never said a word against Frankie,’ Puck retorted, with a because he doesn’t look like it,’ said Una stoutly.
wink at the children. ‘An’ if I did, do it lie in your mouth to ‘I thank you,’ said Simon to Una. ‘I—I was always trust-
contest my say-so, seeing how you—’
able-like with children if you let me alone, you double hand-
‘Why don’t it lie in my mouth, seeing I was the first which ful o’ mischief.’ He pretended to heave up his axe on Puck;
knowed Frankie for all he was?’ The burly sack-clad man and then his shyness overtook him afresh.
puffed down at cool little Puck.
‘Where did you know Sir Francis Drake?’ said Dan, not
‘Yes, and the first which set out to poison him—Frankie— liking being called a child.
on the high seas—’
‘At Rye Port, to be sure,’ said Simon, and seeing Dan’s be-
Simon’s angry face changed to a sheepish grin. He waggled his wilderment, repeated it.
immense hands, but Puck stood off and laughed mercilessly. ‘Yes, but look here,’said Dan. ‘“Drake he was a Devon man.”
‘But let me tell you, Mus’ Robin,’he pleaded.
The song says so.’
‘I’ve heard the tale. Tell the children here. Look, Dan! Look, ‘“And ruled the Devon seas,”’ Una went on. ‘That’s what I
Una!’—Puck’s straight brown finger levelled like an arrow. was thinking—if you don’t mind.’
‘There’s the only man that ever tried to poison Sir Francis Simon Cheyneys seemed to mind very much indeed, for he
Drake!’
swelled in silence while Puck laughed.
‘Oh, Mus’ Robin! ‘Tidn’t fair. You’ve the ‘vantage of us all ‘Hutt!’ he burst out at last, ‘I’ve heard that talk too. If you
in your upbringin’s by hundreds o’ years. Stands to nature listen to them West Country folk, you’ll listen to a pack o’
you know all the tales against every one.’
lies. I believe Frankie was born somewhere out west among
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